i went to my doctors appointment today.. i was banded on april 21 and i had to pay.. my doc told me today that he has a lawyer that will fight my insurance company.. he said he will pay for the lawyer and if he gets me my money back then i can reimburse him....does this sound strange to anyone.. i love my doc he is a great man and i can believe he would do this but i am still a little sceptical...i guess i have nothing to lose(except weight LOL) any comments????

I am going to self pay also but if my dr offered this to me, I would say 'yes!' in a second. Can't hurt.

Sounds like a bit of a scam to me. Let's see, you paid cash for your surgery, now your doc has a lawyer who will do the ins fighting for you, you will be reimbursed for the full cost of your surgery, minus any co-pays, deductibles, etc, whatever the ins pays, then you must turn this over to you doc so he can pay the lawyer...who gets what's left? Is there any left? I dunno. I'm sure it's legal, but sounds borderline unethical? Maybe someone else knows more...Alex?!!!

i went through my insurance and was denied..we then appealed and denied again..i agreed to pay... actually got a great deal because of a promotion between the makers of the band and the hospital $7000 total... any way the lawyer is $800 if he gets me my money back($7000) all he askes is that i give him the $800 back for the lawyer... if the lawyer gets nothing back then i dont have to pay anything.. does that make more sence kathy????

Where did you get your band???? In the states for only $7000?????

Sounds a bit fishy to me either but as long as you don't have to pay anything for the lawyer, why not try!

i am on long island .. as i said before thepeople who make the band were having a promotion with the hospital to get more doctors to do this surgery at there hospital... i just happened to be at the right place at the right time to be lucky enough to get this price.. and i am paid in full with reciepts that say it.. i made sure of that....the deal was everybody took a cut it came out to be $2000 for my surgeon..$500 for the anesthesiologist..and $4500 for the hospital.. that was the breakdown because i wrote the checks... i know i got an incredible price but if my doc is willing to fight to get me my money back then what the heck... im sure he and the hospital will also get paid alot more than i paid them if they get the insurance to cover it so there is some reasoning as to why he would do this besides just trying to get me my money..

Sheri, I live on LI too. Was it an Inamed band? What hospital?

i dont know what band i never thought to ask untill going on here..i was done at central suffolk hospital out in riverhead,,where are you?? i actually live in eastport